Malik Nabers Not Expected To Begin Giants Training Camp On Time
One of the reasons that John Harbaugh took the Giants’ head coaching gig was his excitement about the young talent on their roster. However, he will have to wait a while longer for two of those players to be healthy enough to join the rest of the team on the field.
Wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo were both present for the start of the Giants’ offseason program this week, but both are still rehabbing from major injuries that ended their 2025 seasons. Nabers tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee in Week 4; Skattebo suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle in Week 8.
Harbaugh indicated that Skattebo would be on the field “at some point” for spring practices, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. Any OTA or minicamp participation from the second-year running back would be a good sign for his ability to take the field at the start of training camp.
Skattebo is ahead of Nabers, who will be back “closer to the season,” Harbaugh added. His pronouncement somewhat contradicts general manager Joe Schoen‘s previous prediction that Nabers would be “ready for training camp.”
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart may not have his top wideout and running back on the practice field at the beginning of OTAs, but he will be able to start building chemistry with free agent signing Darnell Mooney. The veteran wide receiver signed in New York for a one-year, $3MM contract that includes another $7MM in incentives, which range across a number of categories, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
Mooney can earn $250K for playing at least 75% of the Giants’ offensive snaps. $375K is available for eclipsing 35 receptions, which increases every 10 with a maximum of $2.5MM for 75 catches or more. The same is true for receiving yards, starting at $375K for 450 yards and increasing every 150 with up to $2.5MM available for recording at least 1,050 yards. Mooney will also receive $375k for three touchdowns, $750K for five, $1.25MM for seven, and $1.75MM for nine or more.
Mooney did not hit any of these numbers in 2025, a down year for the veteran receiver, so all of his incentives are considered Not Likely To Be Earned. They will not count against this year’s salary cap, and if Mooney hits any of them, the Giants will be charged on next year’s cap.
WR Rumors: Tyson, Eagles, Waddle, Moore, Giants, Bears, Cowboys, Cards, Colts
One of the wide receivers expected to go off the draft board in Round 1, Jordyn Tyson did not work out at the Combine and will not participate at Arizona State’s pro day Friday. Tyson missed time with a hamstring injury last season, and it has apparently affected his pre-draft timeline. Tyson, however, will work out for teams April 17, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. That said, the former Colorado recruit will only do positional drills that day. As our Ely Allen pointed out in December, Tyson is a high-ceiling prospect but one that carries injury baggage. Knee and collarbone injuries affected Tyson in separate years with the Sun Devils, and this hamstring issue — when coupled with past maladies — could certainly affect his draft stock. But his 1,101-yard 2024 slate should provide a solid first-round floor. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks Tyson 21st overall in this class.
Here is the latest from the receiver ranks:
- Regardless of their A.J. Brown decision, the Eagles will target a receiver in the draft, The Athletic’s Zach Berman notes. Howie Roseman hit with DeVonta Smith in 2021 but famously missed with Jalen Reagor (Round 1, 2020) and JJ Arcega-Whiteside (Round 2, 2019). A receiver move should be expected early, Berman adds, though he notes optimism exists among decisionmakers Smith can make another jump with a boost in targets. A Brown trade — heavily rumored to be in the works after June 1 — would create a critical need for Philly, but a rookie stepping in alongside Smith and Marquise Brown would stand to bolster the slender WR’s role within the offense.
- Marquise Brown joined the Eagles on a one-year deal worth $5MM in base value, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. The former Ravens, Cardinals and Chiefs wideout can max out at $6.5MM on the contract. Brown’s $5MM is fully guaranteed, which marks only a slight discount from his 2025 Kansas City terms (one year, $7MM).
- The Broncos have already used Jaylen Waddle‘s contract to create cap space, with Wilson indicating the team converted $15.42MM of the trade pickup’s option bonus to a signing bonus. Waddle is still due $17.24MM in 2026 compensation, 9News’ Mike Klis adds, but his cap number checks in at $4.88MM. That number will jump to $27.1MM in 2027, however, with $15.2MM of Waddle’s ’27 compensation being guaranteed. Acquiring Waddle’s $28.25MM-per-year contract from the Dolphins last week, Broncos hold $18.75MM in 2026 cap space, per OverTheCap.
- The Bills also restructured their WR trade acquisition’s contract, converting $22.19MM in base salary into a signing bonus. This created $17.75MM in cap space, according to OverTheCap. D.J. Moore‘s 2026 cap hit sits at just $6.75MM, though like Waddle, he is due a hefty 2027 guarantee ($15.5MM). Buffalo holds $12.29MM in cap space.
- Already reworking Terence Steele and Malik Hooker‘s contracts, the Cowboys adjusted Jonathan Mingo‘s as well. Mingo accepted a pay cut, per Wilson, who notes the former second-round pick is now on a $1.15MM deal that includes no guaranteed money. After underwhelming on his rookie deal and missing 2025 time due to injury, Mingo will vie for a roster spot. One year remains on his rookie deal.
- Darnell Mooney was tied to a three-year, $39MM Falcons deal, but ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes his one-year Giants pact is worth just $3MM in base value. That figure does come fully guaranteed, per Wilson, who notes the contract can max out at $10MM. Calvin Austin‘s Giants agreement comes in at just $1.5MM, according to OverTheCap, with $400K guaranteed. The slot receiver’s deal can max out at $3MM, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who notes the ex-Steeler’s playing time incentives start at a 45% snap rate; his catch incentives begin at 35, with his yardage escalators starting at 400. Meeting the minimum thresholds in each category would earn Austin $150K.
- Rounding up some other recent WR terms, the Bears are giving Kalif Raymond a one-year deal worth $3.5MM. The contract includes $3MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets, and can max out at $5.1MM. The Cardinals’ Devin Duvernay deal is worth $1.85MM in base value, per Wilson, who adds $550K is guaranteed at signing. The Colts will have Nick Westbrook-Ikhine tied to a one-year, $1.4MM deal, Wilson adds, noting $438K is guaranteed at signing.
Giants To Sign WR Darnell Mooney
7:58pm: Fowler reports the Eagles were also involved in Mooney’s market. Philadelphia already has a pair of established starting wideouts in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, although Brown’s Eagles future remains in doubt. It will be interesting to see which remaining free agent wideouts find themselves as the subject of a pursuit from Philadelphia.
4:48pm: The Giants continue to add free agents for new head coach John Harbaugh. The newest addition will provide another weapon for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that wide receiver Darnell Mooney will be signing with New York. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Mooney plans to join the Giants on a one-year deal worth up to $10MM. 
New York has been busy retooling the roster under the leadership of Harbaugh. On offense, the team took care of business re-signing pending free agents like starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and depth pieces like offensive guard Evan Neal and wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins. Some bigger pieces have fallen through the cracks as wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, tight end Daniel Bellinger, and backup center Austin Schlottmann have all departed in free agency for Tennessee, but the Giants have done a good job of restocking positions with signees like wide receiver Calvin Austin and tight end Isaiah Likely.
Mooney becomes the newest addition to a retooled offense for Dart that now features (when healthy) Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy, and Devin Singletary at running back, Pat Ricard at fullback, Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin, and Mooney at wide receiver, and Theo Johnson and Likely at tight end. Dart will have no shortage of new toys to play with in his sophomore campaign under new leadership.
Mooney will head to New York after a two-year stint with the Falcons. Atlanta signed Mooney coming off his rookie contract with the Bears on a three-year, $39MM deal. The signing initially appeared to be a huge success as Mooney finished second to Drake London in all receiving categories with 64 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns on an offense that finished fifth in the NFL in passing yards. Year 2 told a different story for Mooney as he only recorded half the receptions total of the prior year for only 443 yards and one touchdown while catching balls from Michael Penix Jr. instead of Kirk Cousins for most of the year.
After the disappointing campaign, the Falcons opted to release Mooney in a cost-cutting move that would open up $7.42MM of cap space. In New York, Mooney will likely compete with Slayton and Austin for WR2 honors behind Nabers. All three players had similar outputs last year, but Mooney has shown a higher ceiling in his career and could be the favorite to see more snaps on the field. It will be interesting to see just how much of that $10MM maximum value is incentive-based, considering Mooney’s boom-or-bust history. Regardless, it may be hard to base success on statistics this year as, with so many weapons, the number of mouths to feed may limit individual production.
Falcons Plan To Release Darnell Mooney
Darnell Mooney is set to become a free agent for the second time in his career. The Falcons plan to release the veteran wideout, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports.
One year remained on Mooney’s Atlanta contract, and he was on course to carry a cap charge of $18.42MM. A release will free up $7.42MM in cap space while generating an $11MM dead money charge. Mooney was due to collect a $500K roster bonus next week, so the timing of this decision comes as little surprise.
After playing out his rookie contract with the Bears, Mooney landed a big-ticket deal on the open market. The former fifth-rounder inked a $39MM deal with Atlanta, setting him up to serve as a key presence on offense. Mooney’s debut Falcons campaign saw him post career highs in yards per reception (15.5) and touchdowns (five). Expectations were high for a strong follow-up in 2025, but that did not turn out to be the case.
Mooney played in 15 games this past season, but his catch percentage plummeted to 44.4%, the lowest mark of his six-year career. As a starting presence on the Falcons’ offense, 443 yards and only one score represented highly underwhelming totals for Mooney, making him a logical release candidate. Atlanta will seek needed improvements after finishing 24th in the NFL in scoring in 2025, but the Tulane product will not be part of the team’s WR setup.
Of course, Drake London is on track to remain the focal point of Atlanta’s passing game for 2026. He is eligible for an extension, with the same also being true of running back Bijan Robinson. Both players will be in line for major raises on their next pacts. Meanwhile, tight end Kyle Pitts received the franchise tag and is in line to spend at least one more season with the Falcons as a result. Keeping that trio intact beyond 2026 will be expensive, and Atlanta will seek out inexpensive depth to supplement it.
Mooney’s attention will now turn to free agency. The open market will include the likes of Alec Pierce, Romeo Doubs and Wan’Dale Robinson at the WR position; each of those three are in line to command a sizable pact. Mooney’s next deal will no doubt check in at a price below the $13MM AAV of his Falcons pact, but he could offer any number of teams with a vertical presence in the passing game.
NFC Injury Updates: Commanders, Lions, Mooney
The Commanders will head into a Monday night showdown against the Bears with a shorthanded receiving corps. Terry McLaurin (quad) and Noah Brown (groin) will miss the game, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
This will be the third straight absence for McLaurin, which isn’t what the Commanders had in mind when they signed the two-time Pro Bowler to a three-year, $87MM extension in late August. The agreement came after a well-publicized standoff between the two sides. The 30-year-old has caught 10 of 17 targets for 149 yards and no touchdowns in three games this season.
Washington has gone even longer without Brown, who hasn’t played since a Week 2 loss to the Packers. After a 35-catch 2024, his first season with the Commanders, Brown has hauled in three of seven targets for 36 yards in two games this year.
First-year Commander and former 49er Deebo Samuel has served as the team’s top target in McLaurin’s absence. Luke McCaffrey, who’s behind Brown on the depth chart, pulled in a 50-yard reception in a win over the Chargers last week. While McCaffrey only has seven catches this year, he has averaged 20.9 yards per grab and scored a pair of TDs.
More NFC injury updates heading into Week 6:
- The Lions will face the Chiefs on Sunday without starting left tackle Taylor Decker. The 10th-year man will miss his second game in a row as a result of a shoulder injury. Worsening matters for the Lions, they’ve also ruled out backup tackle Giovanni Manu. After making his first career start in place of Decker last week, Manu is down with a knee injury. With Decker and Manu unavailable, Dan Skipper is expected to start at left tackle in Kansas City.
- The Falcons will go without receiver Darnell Mooney on Monday against the Bills, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports. Mooney, who’s dealing with a hamstring injury, will miss his second game of the season. He missed a Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers after suffering a shoulder injury in late July. With 64 catches, 992 yards, and five touchdowns in his first season with the Falcons in 2024, the former Bear enjoyed one of the best years of his career. His production has dropped over three games this year, though, with Mooney having caught seven of 16 targets for 79 yards. No. 1 receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, and running back Bijan Robinson are the only Falcons with double-digit receptions this season.
Falcons CB A.J. Terrell Ruled Out
The Falcons have ruled out star cornerback A.J. Terrell for Sunday’s matchup with the Panthers, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Terrell left the game in Week 2 with a hamstring injury and did not practice this week. Head coach Raheem Morris described him as week-to-week on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Fifth-year cornerback Dee Alford is expected to replace Terrell in the starting lineup after finishing the game in his stead last week. He has primarily lined up in the slot in his career with 16 starts across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but will have to play on the boundary during the Falcons’ visit to the Panthers on Sunday.
Terrell, a 2020 first-round pick, broke out as a second-team All-Pro in his second year with 4.8 yards and a 61.0 passer rating when targeted. He’s been solid in coverage since, but has not returned to the heights of his 2021 campaign. Still, he’s a major loss to a Falcons defense that has been middling against the pass so far this year.
Wide receivers Jamal Agnew (groin) and Casey Washington (concussion) were both ruled out for Sunday’s game as well. Rookie edge rusher James Pearce (groin) is questionable, but should have a good chance at taking the field after practicing all week, albeit as a limited participant. Starting wideouts Drake London and Darnell Mooney have no injury designations and will be full-go against the Panthers.
NFC South Notes: Pitts, Otton, Saints, Young
The Falcons rebuffed Kyle Pitts trade interest, though with the former top-five pick set to begin a contract year, it is possible the franchise could revisit this topic. Pitts was mentioned as “relatively available” this offseason, with the price of a Day 2 pick floated. No Pitts extension is planned, but a franchise tag would not be out of the question if the tight end puts together a good contract year. Still, teams indeed viewed the Florida alum as available in the past, per The Athletic’s Josh Kendall. The Falcons stumbling out of the blocks this season could reignite the prospect of Pitts being traded during his fifth-year option season.
How Pitts’ salary would be divvied up in a trade would be a key component in negotiations, as he is tied to a $10.88MM option salary. The later in the season he is dealt, the less money an acquiring team would be responsible for. The Falcons having Pitts would give Michael Penix Jr. a fairly talented weapon, but if the team intends to make the 6-foot-6 pass catcher a one-contract player, it would make sense to listen to offers before the November deadline.
Here is the latest from the NFC South:
- Buccaneers extensions for Luke Goedeke and Zyon McCollum have surfaced this week, but the team appears through with its preseason paydays. No Cade Otton deal is expected, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Otton would join Pitts as promising TE options in 2026, barring any franchise tags. The former fourth-round pick is interested in a Bucs extension, and Tampa Bay is rather good at retaining its own. Next year’s tight end market would stand to include, barring extensions or tags, big names. Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Dallas Goedert, David Njoku and Isaiah Likely‘s contracts expire after this season. Otton, Pitts and Likely would be of particular interest as second-contract-seeking players. Otton, 26, is looking to build on a career-best 600 yards and four touchdown catches last season.
- Pro Football Focus rated Alontae Taylor as the NFL’s worst full-time cornerback last season, ranking him 116th. The former second-round pick’s perception within the league appears different, as Fowler notes the Saints CB is on the extension radar. New Orleans jettisoned Marshon Lattimore at last year’s deadline and lost Paulson Adebo — a player the team hoped to re-sign — in free agency. Although the Saints drafted Kool-Aid McKinstry in Round 2 last year, they appear interested in a second Taylor contract. He has started 37 career games entering his platform year.
- Chase Young is again dealing with injury trouble. The recently re-signed defensive end, who bounced back from neck surgery to play 17 games last season, will miss the Saints’ opener with a calf injury. Young joins Trevor Penning, who has been battling turf toe, in being ruled out.
- The Falcons have not ruled out Darnell Mooney for Week 1, but the team has been coy regarding the deep threat’s status after a late-July shoulder injury. In other Mooney matters, the team restructured his contract. Atlanta created $6MM in cap space by restructuring Mooney’s deal, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. Mooney is tied to a three-year, $39MM contract — a deal that includes three void years. The sixth-year receiver’s restructure ballooned his 2026 cap hit to $18.05MM.
- Last September, Bryce Young‘s January 2026 extension-eligible date did not appear to mean much. The Panthers were moving toward a 2025 separation with a QB they benched. Young’s second-half turnaround last season, though, has the prospect of a 2026 payday back in play, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The Panthers believe the undersized passer has turned a corner in terms of confidence and competitiveness, and Carolina believes the improvement he showed late last year will carry over. While it would be perhaps more newsworthy if the Panthers didn’t believe Young would sustain this form, the prospect of an extension for the 5-foot-10 QB is still notable considering the separation rumors that engulfed him less than a year ago.
Falcons WR Darnell Mooney To Miss Time
A shoulder injury is expected to sideline Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney for a few weeks, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The injury occurred when Mooney dove for a deep ball during full-team work on Thursday and left the field with a trainer, according to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. The sixth-year wideout could be sidelined for most of training camp, per WSB’s Zach Klein.
DJ Chark‘s workout was already scheduled before Mooney went down, but his injury seems to explain why the Falcons completed the signing yesterday. The team announced the one-year deal this morning.
The Falcons have a number of receivers who can step up in Mooney’s place during his absence, including KhaDarel Hodge, who played with the first team on Saturday, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. Veteran Jamal Agnew, who arrived in Atlanta this offseason on a one-year, $2.5MM deal, could also be in line for more reps. The same goes for Chark as he learns Atlanta’s offense.
Mooney’s injury doesn’t appear to threaten his Week 1 availability. He signed a three-year, $39MM deal with the Falcons last offseason and immediately turned in a strong debut season in Atlanta. He finished second on the team to Drake London in virtually every receiving category with 64 receptions on 106 targets for 992 yards and five touchdowns. Those were Mooney’s best numbers since 2021, and the team’s lack of investment in their receiver room this offseason shows that they believe in a repeat performance this year.
Falcons Docked 2025 Fifth-Round Pick For Tampering Violation
The Eagles will not face punishment following the NFL’s investigation into the Saquon Barkley signing. In the case of the Falcons, however, discipline has been handed down. 
The league announced on Thursday that the team has been docked its 2025 fifth-round pick as result of improper communication with quarterback Kirk Cousins, wideout Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner. The Falcons have also been fined $250K and general manager Terry Fontenot will pay a $50K fine.
“While the [Anti-Tampering] policy permits clubs to engage with and negotiate all aspects of an NFL player contract with the certified agent of any prospective unrestricted free agent during the two-day negotiating period, any direct contact between the player and an employee or representative of the club is prohibited,” a league statement reads (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).
“This includes discussion of travel arrangements or other logistical matters, which the club acknowledges took place with regard to these three players.”
Indeed, Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero notes communication related to travel took place within the two-day negotiating window for the three players in question. They had already legally agreed to terms by that point, a key factor in the league’s decision to issue a penalty which is lighter than those previously imposed in other circumstances. Still, the fact Atlanta has been disciplined while the Eagles have not falls in line with the previous expectation on the outcome of their respective investigations.
Cousins has publicly stated he spoke with Falcons medical personnel before his deal was official; he also acknowledged that he offered to help recruit Mooney prior to his contract being on the books. Cousins ultimately signed a four-year $180MM contract while Mooney inked a $39MM pact covering the next three seasons. Both players will be key figures in Atlanta’s offense moving forward.
“We are pleased the review is complete,” a Falcons statement reads. “We cooperated fully with the league and its review, and appreciate the NFL’s thoroughness. As we do with every process, we will review how we operate and look for ways to improve.”
As a result of today’s decision, Atlanta will move forward with five 2025 draft picks. The team has its own selection in each of the first four rounds, as well as a seventh-round pick from the Rams. The Falcons are not currently projected to receive any compensatory picks.
Falcons, WR Darnell Mooney Agree To Deal
The Falcons have a deal in place for a new quarterback, and the team is now set to add to its receiving corps. Atlanta has agreed to a deal with Darnell Mooney, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports.
Mooney will head to Atlanta on a three-year pact, per Rapoport. The deep threat will receive $39MM on the deal, including $26MM fully guaranteed. Expectations will therefore by high for him as a starting member of the Falcons’ pass-catching corps.
This year’s receiver market did not include Mike Evans or the franchise-tagged duo of Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. While Pittman has since signed a Colts extension, Indianapolis took him off the FA board last week via the tag. Mooney is among the players to benefit from bigger names being unavailable. He soared well off the “prove it” tier, despite back-to-back seasons with fewer than 500 receiving yards.
Tuesday’s move will reunite Mooney with former Bears GM Ryan Pace, who resides in the Falcons’ front office. Pace drafted Mooney in the 2020 fifth round, after he had clocked a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. While the Tulane alum struggled in Luke Getsy‘s offense, he was better under Matt Nagy. Mooney’s two best receiving seasons — including a 1,055-yard showing in 2021 — came during the Pace-Nagy years. Nagy’s current team, the Chiefs, pursued Mooney as well. But the Falcons, despite authorizing a monster Kirk Cousins contract, will win this derby.
Mooney, who is going into his age-26 season, will be set to join Drake London and Kyle Pitts as Atlanta pass-game pillars. The Falcons have taken some heat for their top-10 skill-position investments’ early inconsistency. While the team is betting on Cousins to stabilize its passing attack, it still viewed the WR2 role as an area to upgrade. The Falcons had Mack Hollins in place in that role last year; he finished with 251 receiving yards.
Although more proven receiving options existed on the market compared to Mooney, the Falcons will bet on upside. Mooney, who memorably dropped a Hail Mary pass that would have given Chicago a win in Cleveland last season, will be among the many UFAs to benefit from the recent cap spike. The Bears remain in search of a No. 2 wideout opposite D.J. Moore. While the team has since extended its other two regular starters from the 2020 draft (Jaylon Johnson, Cole Kmet), Mooney needed to land his money elsewhere.